SENATE RESOLUTION

                             2000-8736

By Senators Winsley, Deccio and Honeyford

      WHEREAS, It is the policy of the Washington State Legislature to recognize and honor the contributions of individuals who reflect standards of excellence that advance the well-being and quality of lives of the citizens of the state of Washington; and

      WHEREAS, The National Endowment for the Arts and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation have developed a program known as "Artists and Communities: America Creates for the Millennium"; and

      WHEREAS, The Allied Arts Council of Yakima Valley and the entire Yakima Valley join a select group in receiving the millennium project designation, which is awarded to only one community in each state, with the Yakima Valley project representing the entire state of Washington; and

      WHEREAS, The Yakima Valley is where prominent and recognized Artist-in-Residence, Wen-ti Tsen, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, will live and work for much of the Year 2000, bringing his extraordinary talents and having a significant impact on the people of the Yakima Valley and the whole state of Washington; and

      WHEREAS, Artist-in-Residence Wen-ti Tsen is a Chinese-American educator, sculptor, muralist, and mixed media artist, who has orchestrated community art projects from Boston, USA to Moscow, Russia; and

      WHEREAS, Artist-in-Residence Wen-ti Tsen began using art to study society; then, more and more, began doing community and public art projects and using oral history, painting, and installations to integrate personal and community expression, centering on cultural diversity; and

      WHEREAS, Artist-in-Residence Wen-ti Tsen will use local stories to create works of public art that will celebrate our peoples= experience of creating and sustaining a community; and

      WHEREAS, Artist-in-Residence Wen-ti Tsen will coordinate a Valley-wide effort to develop an art-based project using the theme of water, "The life source of the Yakima Valley and so much our state"; and

      WHEREAS, Artist-in-Residence Wen-ti Tsen will bring people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds to direct involvement in designing, developing, and implementing multiple artistic endeavors around the theme of water; and

      WHEREAS, Artist-in-Residence Wen-ti Tsen believes art is an important part of everyday life, a way individuals express their experiences and aspirations, an educational tool that can help change young peoples' attitudes and provide them with a different perspective, and a bridge to support and instruct others on issues that affect their lives;

      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate express its sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Allied Arts Council of Yakima Valley for its successful efforts in bringing the nation-wide Millennium "Artist-in-Residence" program and internationally recognized artist, Wen-ti Tsen, as its "Artist-in-Residence" to the Yakima Valley and the state of Washington.

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Artist-in-Residence Wen-ti Tsen, the Allied Arts Council of Yakima Valley, the city of Yakima, and the Yakima County Commissioners.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 2000-8736,

adopted by the Senate March 1, 2000.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate